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Vets mark U.S. Vietnam Wall's 25th year

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 (UPI) -- Thousands of Vietnam veterans marched in Washington to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Tens of thousands of U.S. and South Vietnamese veterans paraded Saturday with flags, banners and jackets emblazoned with service emblems to celebrate the anniversary, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

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Afterward, hundreds of the veterans continued to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to pay tribute to friends and comrades whose names are engraved on the black stone wall commemorating the U.S. combat fatalities from the war in Vietnam.

Colin Powell, the former secretary of state who served as assistant chief of staff of operations for the 23rd Infantry Division in Vietnam, presided over a re-dedication ceremony Sunday, the Post said.

Walt Henriksen, 59, of Binghamton, N.Y., who was wounded in 1969 near Khe San by non-hostile fire, attended the event with his grandson.

Asked whether he had any regrets for his service in Vietnam, he answered, "Yeah, I guess I do, but I would go again."

The Maya Lin-designed Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated Nov. 13, 1982.

There are 58,256 names engraved in its wall.

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